Transcript
Lindsey Graham (0:09)
It's July 28, 1540, at Oatland's Palace, a royal residence in Surrey, England. Dressed in a dazzling embroidered gown, Catherine Howard and her ladies in waiting are escorted through the endless chambers of the palace. Sunlight trickles through glass windows as she passes, dancing over Catherine's soft, fair skin and auburn hair. She's just 17 years old, barely more than a girl, but today she will become Queen of England. Reaching a large wooden door, she pauses. The palace chapel lies beyond, and her new husband is waiting for her. The heavy door swings open and standing at the far end of the chapel, King Henry VIII stares at Catherine, his mouth twitching toward a smile. Henry is over 30 years older than Catherine. He's dressed magnificently today, but even the finest tailors in the land can't disguise Henry's bloated body. But though Catherine may find him physically repulsive, she understands what marrying into royalty means for her family's standing and for her own. Catherine casts her eyes downward as she walks toward the king. Only a few of Henry's inner circle have been allowed to attend today's ceremony, but it doesn't make the moment any less daunting. Beneath her glittering gown, Catherine's heart pounds because she remembers the fates of Henry's previous wives. He may be smiling now, but she knows how quickly his favor can turn to fury. Catherine Howard becomes King Henry VIII's fifth wife. In the days ahead, he will shower her with gifts and affection, but the honeymoon won't last. Soon old secrets will resurface, threatening Catherine's new life and bringing a sudden end to King Henry' marriage, which began on July 28, 1540. American Historytellers is sponsored by Dell Technologies, whose Black Friday in July event is here. With great offers on trusted technology, you'll also discover huge deals on new AI ready laptops like the Dell 14 plus, featuring Intel Core Ultra processors starting at $699.99. 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Get this new customer offer and your three month unlimited wireless plan for just $15 a month at mintmobile.com historytellers that's mintmobile.com historytellers upfront payment of $45 required equivalent to $15 a month limited new time customer offer first three months only. Speeds may slow above 35 gigabytes on unlimited plan, taxes and fees extra. See Mint Mobile for details. From Noiser and Airship I'm Lindsey Graham and this is History. Daily history is made every day on this podcast. Every day, we tell the true stories of the people and events that shaped our world. Today is July 28, 1540. Henry VIII's fifth wedding. It's the summer of 1539 at an orchard in Sussex, England, a year before Catherine Howard's marriage to King Henry VIII. 16 year old Catherine hurries down a narrow path between the rows of fruit trees. She knows this area well. In the distance is a large manor house where Catherine lives as a ward of her step grandmother. Catherine is an orphan. Her mother died when she was young and her father was a spendthrift gambler who passed away earlier this year. But Catherine's luck has been better. She comes from the aristocracy and her uncle, the Duke of Norfolk, is one of the most powerful men in the country. So despite her recent bereavement, Catherine's prospects are looking up. The Duke has sent word that she's secured Catherine a place at court as a maid of honor. This news thrills Catherine, but starting a new life means she'll need to end her old one. Waiting under an apple tree is Catherine's boyfriend, Frances Dereham. He straightens up when he sees her. They've met here before, many times, but today feels different. Steeling herself, Catherine tells Frances that she's leaving Surrey and moving to court. Frances laughs, thinking Catherine's joking, but her expression stays firm. She's going away, perhaps forever. Whatever they've had, it has to end. Frances doesn't take this news well. He reminds her of her promises, of their talk of marriage, but Catherine waves his objections away. Maybe she meant those things once, but now everything has changed. Catherine turns and then walks away through the orchard, leaving a devastated Francis behind. Over the coming weeks, Catherine packs her things and then heads to London. She settles into the Queen's household as one of the young women attending to Anne of Cleves, Henry VIII's fourth wife. And after she settles in, Catherine proves popular at court. She's young, charming and pretty. And before long, she catches the attention of someone important the King himself. Now in his late 40s, Henry is no longer the dashing prince of his youth. He's overweight and frequently ill, nursing an old jousting wound that has rotted his leg and resulted in a persistent putrid odor. But he's still the most powerful man in England, and despite his recent marriage, his eyes are always wandering. The union to Anne of Cleves was arranged for political reasons, but Henry complains that he finds Anne dull and unattractive. It's an open secret that the King is dissatisfied. So when his gaze lands on the radiant Catherine Howard, Henry begins to pursue her. He sends her gifts of gowns, jewels and tokens of affection. And even though the King has divorced one of his previous wives and executed another, the teenage Catherine is swept up in the attention. Her uncle, the Duke of Norfolk, encourages the match because he knows that if Catherine becomes Queen, the entire Howard family will benefit. And in mid July of 1540, Henry's marriage to Anne of Cleves is annulled only six months after their wedding. A few weeks later, the King marries Catherine in a private ceremony at Oatland's Palace. At first, Henry is infatuated with his new bride, and for a time, it seems the marriage might restore some of his lost vitality. But behind the scenes, Catherine begins to struggle. Life at court is isolating, especially for someone so young and inexperienced. King's moods are unpredictable. His physical condition confines him to long hours of immobility, while his frustration with his failing body sparks frequent displays of rage. There's a controlling edge and an inconsistency to his love that leaves Catherine uneasy and lonely. But on the outside, Catherine goes to great effort to appear like the perfect queen. Still, privately, her heart leads her down a dangerous path. In the spring of 1541, Catherine begins an affair with an old admirer, the courtier Thomas Culpepper. Before she married the King, Catherine had a fleeting romance with him, though it never went beyond flirtation. But now, as Queen, Catherine grows close to Thomas, who provides the excitement she lacks in her marriage. Soon, their relationship turns physical and a trusted lady in waiting helps deliver notes and gifts, and secret meetings are arranged far from the King's eyes. But Catherine's affair with Thomas is not the only thing she has to hide. Her ex boyfriend, Francis Dereham, begins pressuring her to give him a job at court. Masked in his request is a threat to reveal their shared past to Henry. If the king discovers that Catherine had a sexual relationship with someone before him, there's no telling what he might do. Francis would be punished too, of course, which makes this threat a foolish one. But Catherine still worries that Francis emotions outweigh his reason, and he'll sign both of their death warrants by telling the king the truth. So she grants him a position in her household. She hopes this will appease Francis, but her concerns about his recklessness soon prove justified. At court, Francis is indiscreet and can't stop himself from alluding to his relationship with Catherine. Rumors will soon begin to circulate, and before long, the secrets Catherine hoped to bury on her wedding day will be unearthed, setting in motion a chain of events she will be powerless to stop.